 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: packrat
Date: 2007-10-10 13:03
I bought a used R-13 a few months ago. When I looked at it the mouthpiece that had been used on it was just grungy ( a redish rusty color inside - yuk!). The horn was cosmetically in good condition on the outside and it played well, but I noticed that the pads would stick slightly when you first started to play and pads did look dirty. I am going to have it repaded, but I have noticed that the throat tones G, A, Ab, F, E, Eb are always flat, while everything else is pretty well in tune.
From what I've read here on the board I sort of assumed that that may be a problem with R-13s in general, but here's my question....could it also be a case of buildup like what was in the mouthpiece? Should I ask my repair person to clean it out and if so is there anything I should ask him to do about the throat tones. I tried to cleanout using the Dr's products and I saw evidence of that redish brown residue coming out, but it still comes out when I swab out the clarinet.
Also, I am also going to ask that he repad it with cork on the upper joint. I talked to him back when I bought it and he thought that it would cause the horn to project too much. Any thoughts on either question?
Thanks for your suggestions,
packrat
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2007-10-10 15:26
Get it cleaned professionally completely and go from there. There must be a ton of buildup in the Clarinet if the mouthpiece was filthy.
That could help the pitch, but not definitely. A better barrel if you are playing the stock one could help also.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: William
Date: 2007-10-10 17:41
Yes, the A & G# four tone holes may have a lot of gunk buildup that needs to be cleaned out--not to mention the other ones as well, especially those on the top joint. Also, as part of your repad, I would recommend cork pads for the upper joint. They last (almost) forever and enhance the sound projection of the tone holes they cover. Your repair person will know what to do.
(I would just get a new mouthpiece, unless yours is an old Kasper or Chedeville)
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Author: packrat
Date: 2007-10-10 18:35
David,
Is there any particular shape barrel I should look at with Buffet? I have a couple of the Ridenour barrels I use on my LL that seem to help with the sound of the R-13, but not necessarily the pitch.
I plan on all cork pads on top and leather on the bottom ones. Even though projection is not a problem for me most of the time. I thought I should try that once.
William,
The young lady I bought this from actually wanted to keep the mouthpiece (Thank God!). She wasn't at all a serious player. I think her parents must have bought it for her in high school. I don't know what she was doing before she played, but I swear that mouthpiece was probably toxic. I have a couple of nice mouthpieces that I like so I was very glad to see it go. Wish I did have and old Kasper or Chedeville. :-)
Thanks for your input guys
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2007-10-11 00:27
Cork pads on the top joint = 
Leather pads on a Buffet R13 = ![[whoa]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie10.gif) Stick with bladder or gore-tex!
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2007-10-11 13:12
The red color is likely stain in the bore of the clarinet.
It seems likely that the toneholes of the affected notes could do with examination, and likely, cleaning.
This can be done with a cotton swab, but will be a consideration if the instrument is overhauled by a competent technician.
Pad height will also have a large influence over pitch, and the notes ABOVE the note you're playing are a factor in pitch, too.
Lots of players have good results with the reverse-tapered barrel as designed by Hans Moennig or Philadelphia. Muncy Winds has an inexpensive version in Delrin that may help.
What will happen to your "Double L" horn?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-10-11 14:42
What's wrong with using leather pads on an R13? They last much longer than skin or Gore-Tex pads, and the treated ones aren't porous like leather pads of old.
I've just cleaned the body joints of a B12 in the sink, and all the toneholes had all red stuff in them (as well as the usual gak) - it was red fluff from the very red pullthrough!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2007-10-11 15:22
Jacobi chose to put White Leather pads on the bottom of my R-13 Prestige set and they work great.
The red can't be stain as it was in the mouthpiece too - stain doesn't get there and cause a buildup. Certainly red stain comes off on swabs which is the wood stain, but the sludge isn't from the stain unless the stain somehow colored the sludge completely.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: packrat
Date: 2007-10-11 19:23
Well I've taken it to the repair man and he's going to clean and overhaul it with cork pads upper joint and leather on the bottom.
Whatever the residue is, he told me it was already on the pads on the upper joint. So it going to have to be cleaned extensively or else it'll get on my new pads. By playing it a while before I took it in to be overhauled, hopefully I will have loosened up the gunk so that it will be easier to remove. Once I get it back I'll try out a few of the barrels recommended and see how they play.
As to my "LL" I'll be keeping it - I have an A as well. I don't know which I'll use as my primary - it'll probably depend on the type music I'm playing and how hard I have to work around the intonation problem in the throat range. The LL is a very well in tune horn and plays great, but will not project as well as the R-13.
Larry,
What was your reason to not use leather on the bottom?
packrat
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2007-10-11 20:40
Why I don't care for leather pads on a clarinet:
1. They tend to be thicker than skin pads, therefor muffling the sound unless the whole action is "opened up."
2. The grainy surface of the leather does not reflect/boost the sound the same way as a conventional pad -- why do you think they add metal or plastic resonators to sax pads?
3. I'm not convinced that they seat as tightly as skin or GoreTex. More suited to a metal "fly" (as sax or flute) than the wood of a clarinet body.
4. Tend to wear in more deeply than skin etc. requiring more adjustments after installation.
These are my prejudices--if there is a new generation of leather pads that solve these problems, I'll be happy to learn about it. I have tremendous respect for Marc Jacobi--the single leather pad on my Leblanc Bass Clarinet (the low-low D pad) was meticulously installed by Marc in an emergency when he didn't have a proper size skin pad available--works great, but of course it is in an area where it doesn't really have much effect on any of the other pads.
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